There’s lots driving on the heavyweight title struggle between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic after they lastly meet in November.
Whereas an official announcement in regards to the matchup hasn’t been made, Jones and Miocic are anticipated to headline UFC 309 at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis. For Jones, the struggle serves as a bout he’s chased since dispatching Ciryl Gane in rapid-fire style again in March 2023 to seize the vacant UFC heavyweight title.
In the meantime, Miocic desires to cement his legacy as the perfect heavyweight in historical past by taking out arguably the best fighter of all-time in Jones.
The stakes get even larger with the expectations that one — or each — fighters may probably retire afterward, though UFC CEO Dana White believes that’s solely a certainty so far as one heavyweight is worried.
“Stipe one hundred pc goes to retire after this struggle,” White informed Kevin Iole. “Pay attention, Jon Jones, you know the way I discuss Jon Jones and what I consider Jon Jones as a fighter — Jon Jones all the time likes to problem himself, moved as much as heavyweight.
“I don’t know what Jon Jones will do after this struggle, however I might be shocked if he didn’t wish to check himself towards [Tom] Aspinall.”
Tom Aspinall presently reigns as UFC’s interim heavyweight champion. The English powerhouse owns an virtually spotless document within the promotion other than a freak damage that prematurely halted his struggle towards Curtis Blaydes in 2022. Aspinall lately avenged that setback with a one-minute knockout of Blaydes to defend his interim title at UFC 304.
General, Aspinall boasts an 8-1 UFC document with eight finishes. No opponent has even made it previous the second spherical towards him. Many throughout the MMA neighborhood consider he’s already established himself as the perfect heavyweight in UFC it doesn’t matter what title Jones presently holds, however that makes a possible struggle between them that rather more intriguing.
White believes Aspinall having a lot hype round him now may very well function the right bait to get Jones within the struggle, assuming he will get via Miocic.
“All the things I’m saying, these are f*cking details,” White stated. “It’s not like me and Jon Jones have this unbelievable relationship like I’ve with Ronda [Rousey] and Chuck Liddell and Conor [McGregor] and a few of these guys which have fought prior to now. You already know this isn’t the case. What I’m saying about Jon Jones is undebatable.
“[It’s] undebatable what this man has completed in his profession, and if he beats Stipe and he comes out and fights Tom Aspinall and beats him, it’s already plain — no person, I don’t care how a lot you dislike Jon Jones for what he’s executed, this isn’t about personally who Jon Jones is and do you want him, we’re speaking in regards to the baddest dude to ever stroll the face of the Earth in fight sports activities already — if he goes out and beats Tom Aspinall, he cements his legacy as the best fighter of all-time.”
Whereas Aspinall might have momentum proper now, White nonetheless desires to let Jones and Miocic settle their enterprise in November after promising each of them he would make that struggle.
Regardless of Miocic sitting out for the previous three years and his most up-to-date outing ending in a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, White believes Miocic has earned the chance to return again and face Jones for his doubtless final probability at reclaiming the UFC title.
“This title struggle was purported to occur a very long time in the past,” White stated. “All of the issues that occurred from accidents, no matter that obtained in the best way — you’ve obtained two sides of the coin. You’ve obtained everyone speaking about, ‘Dana doesn’t respect this man and he doesn’t do that and he doesn’t do this.’ I’m exhibiting each of those guys the respect. They wish to struggle one another. It’s a struggle that they each wish to occur. Complete respect struggle. I believe they each deserve it.
“On the finish of the day, I get it. All people desires to see Tom Aspinall, however let me inform you what, after Stipe and Jon struggle, whoever wins, the Aspinall struggle is even greater.”
